Fresh international research has cast significant doubt on the effectiveness of encouraging children to directly confront bullies, challenging a common strategy promoted in many schools.
The findings, drawn from peer-reviewed studies across several countries, indicate that programmes actively training students to be 'upstanders' may not deliver the intended benefits and could even be counterproductive.
The Evidence Against Formal Upstander Programmes
Recent studies conducted in the Netherlands, China, and Finland found no significant positive impact from peer defence on crucial outcomes for victims. These outcomes included measures of self-esteem, levels of depression, and the likelihood of continued bullying.
Furthermore, a broader look at the data through meta-analyses reveals a concerning trend. Anti-bullying initiatives that actively encourage peer intervention are associated with being less effective at reducing overall victimisation rates compared to other methods.
This evidence directly questions the current recommendation from the Australian federal government, which advises schools to encourage students to act as upstanders. The research suggests a need for a strategic rethink.
A More Effective Path: Bystander Education and Whole-School Culture
Given the potential pitfalls of formal upstander programmes, what should schools do instead? Experts analysing the data point towards two more nuanced and potentially more successful approaches.
Firstly, they recommend informal education for bystanders. This focuses on equipping students with a range of response options, rather than mandating direct confrontation. This could include strategies like:
- Distracting the bully or diffusing the situation.
- Offering support to the victim after the incident.
- Seeking help from a trusted adult in a safe and discreet way.
Secondly, and most critically, specialists advocate for a comprehensive whole-school approach. This model moves beyond isolated lessons or programmes and embeds anti-bullying values into the entire school ethos.
Such an approach involves clear policies, consistent enforcement by all staff, professional development for teachers, and fostering a school-wide culture of respect and inclusion where bullying is seen as unacceptable by the entire community.
Implications for Schools and Policy
The collective research, including the analysis by researcher Karyn Healy reported on Tuesday 2 December 2025, presents a clear warning to educators and policymakers. Well-intentioned programmes might not yield the desired results if they oversimplify the complex social dynamics of bullying.
Investing in a sustained, systemic whole-school strategy, complemented by sensible bystander education, appears to be the more evidence-based route to creating safer school environments. The key takeaway is that effectively addressing bullying requires changing the environment and norms of the entire school, not just the reactions of individual students.
